Twenty-first Sunday in Ordinary Time

Welcome back for another edition of deacon rudy’s notes! I’m Deacon Rudy Villarreal, and together we’re going to break open the Word!

Today’s Gospel was difficult for Jesus’ followers to hear. And it is difficult for many Catholics to hear. Right before today’s reading, Jesus says that his disciples must eat of his flesh and drink of his blood. Jesus is the Bread of Life.

What’s so striking is that many of his disciples left him and returned to their ways (John 6:66). Were they freaked out by what they thought was cannibalism? Were they hoping for an earthly king who’d drive out the Romans? The bottom line is that they didn’t hear what they liked, so they left.

What is it that Jesus offers us?

Jesus laid down his life, and he continually gives himself in the Eucharist to you and me. Why? Because he loves us. That’s what St. Paul is getting at in our second reading. That’s the kind of selfless love we should have for one another.

At its core, this is a simple Jesus. Jesus says believe. He will say during the last supper that we must do this and remember (Mark 14:22-25, Luke 22:18-20, 1 Corinthians 11:23-25). It’s a simple message. Jesus gives us the Church and he gives us the Eucharist. The Eucharist is the body, blood, soul and divinity of Jesus not because the Church says so, but because Jesus tells us so in the Gospel.

You see, we don’t need to seek God in dreams or ideas or delusions of grandeur and of power. Just as we encounter Jesus in his humanity and accept the truth of his Word, so too must we look with love and compassion to the real men and women we encounter every day.

The Eucharist nourishes us and sustains us so that we can carry on in the face of so much strife and turmoil in our world – so much individualism and consumerism that clouds the mind and confuses judgment. The Eucharist sustains us through it all so that we can boldly say like Joshua, “As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord” (Joshua 24:15).

Homework! Nourished by the Word of God and the Eucharist, I encourage you to reflect on the following two questions.
First, do I believe that the Eucharist is the body, blood, soul and divinity of Jesus? If I don’t what is standing in my way?
Second, how do I show the love Jesus has for me to all the people around me?

I think doing our homework will help us live as authentic disciples of Christ Jesus! Do you got it? Do you get it? Good! Now go make disciples! May Almighty God bless you Father, Son and Holy Spirit. +Amen!

Thank you for listening to deacon rudy’s notes. Our theme music was composed by Silent Partner. You can find all sorts of helpful information on the website at www.deaconrudysnotes.org. I’m Deacon Rudy Villarreal. Join me again next weekend as we break open the Word. Peace!

Image: Artist unknown. JPG.

Bibliography/Suggested Readings:
1. Martin, Francis and William M. Wright IV. The Gospel of John. Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Academic, 2015. Kindle.
2. Williamson, Peter S. Ephesians. Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Academic, 2009. Kindle.

Catechism References http://www.scborromeo.org/ccc.htm:
1. Husband and wife as equals: 369, 1605
2. The Church as the bride of Christ: 757, 772-73, 796
3. The Church as bride of Christ: 773, 796
4. Respect for one’s own body and that of others: 1004
5. God’s utter fidelity and love: 1061-65
6. For the baptized: 1269
7. Signs of bread and wine: 1336
8. Christian marriage: 1602, 1612-17, 1624
9. One flesh: 1605
10. Sin and domination in marriage: 1606-8
11. Self-denial in marriage: 1615
12. Sacramental marriage, the Eucharist, and the Holy Spirit: 1621-24, 1627
13. For the sacramentally married: 1642
14. Family members equal in dignity: 2203
15. Conjugal love: 2360-65
16. Voluntary humility: 2546
17. The Lord’s Prayer: 2765-66

Twenty-first Sunday in Ordinary Time https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/082221.cfm
Lectionary: 122

Reading 1
Joshua 24:1-2a, 15-17, 18b
Joshua gathered together all the tribes of Israel at Shechem,
summoning their elders, their leaders,
their judges, and their officers.
When they stood in ranks before God,
Joshua addressed all the people:
“If it does not please you to serve the LORD,
decide today whom you will serve,
the gods your fathers served beyond the River
or the gods of the Amorites in whose country you are now dwelling.
As for me and my household, we will serve the LORD.”

But the people answered,
“Far be it from us to forsake the LORD
for the service of other gods.
For it was the LORD, our God,
who brought us and our fathers up out of the land of Egypt,
out of a state of slavery.
He performed those great miracles before our very eyes
and protected us along our entire journey
and among the peoples through whom we passed.
Therefore we also will serve the LORD, for he is our God.”

Responsorial
Psalm 34:2-3, 16-17, 18-19, 20-21
R. (9a) Taste and see the goodness of the Lord.
I will bless the LORD at all times;
his praise shall be ever in my mouth.
Let my soul glory in the LORD;
the lowly will hear me and be glad.
R. Taste and see the goodness of the Lord.
The LORD has eyes for the just,
and ears for their cry.
The LORD confronts the evildoers,
to destroy remembrance of them from the earth.
R. Taste and see the goodness of the Lord.
When the just cry out, the LORD hears them,
and from all their distress he rescues them.
The LORD is close to the brokenhearted;
and those who are crushed in spirit he saves.
R. Taste and see the goodness of the Lord.
Many are the troubles of the just one,
but out of them all the LORD delivers him;
he watches over all his bones;
not one of them shall be broken.
R. Taste and see the goodness of the Lord.

Reading 2
Ephesians 5:21-32 or 5:2a, 25-32
Brothers and sisters:
Be subordinate to one another out of reverence for Christ.
Wives should be subordinate to their husbands as to the Lord.
For the husband is head of his wife
just as Christ is head of the church,
he himself the savior of the body.
As the church is subordinate to Christ,
so wives should be subordinate to their husbands in everything.
Husbands, love your wives,
even as Christ loved the church
and handed himself over for her to sanctify her,
cleansing her by the bath of water with the word,
that he might present to himself the church in splendor,
without spot or wrinkle or any such thing,
that she might be holy and without blemish.
So also husbands should love their wives as their own bodies.
He who loves his wife loves himself.
For no one hates his own flesh
but rather nourishes and cherishes it,
even as Christ does the church,
because we are members of his body.
For this reason a man shall leave his father and his mother
and be joined to his wife,
and the two shall become one flesh.
This is a great mystery,
but I speak in reference to Christ and the church.

OR:

Brothers and sisters:
Live in love, as Christ loved us.
Husbands, love your wives,
even as Christ loved the church
and handed himself over for her to sanctify her,
cleansing her by the bath of water with the word,
that he might present to himself the church in splendor,
without spot or wrinkle or any such thing,
that she might be holy and without blemish.
So also husbands should love their wives as their own bodies.
He who loves his wife loves himself.
For no one hates his own flesh
but rather nourishes and cherishes it,
even as Christ does the church,
because we are members of his body.
For this reason a man shall leave his father and his mother
and be joined to his wife,
and the two shall become one flesh.
This is a great mystery,
but I speak in reference to Christ and the church.

Alleluia
John 6:63c, 68c
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Your words, Lord, are Spirit and life;
you have the words of everlasting life.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel
John 6:60-69
Many of Jesus’ disciples who were listening said,
“This saying is hard; who can accept it?”
Since Jesus knew that his disciples were murmuring about this,
he said to them, “Does this shock you?
What if you were to see the Son of Man ascending
to where he was before?
It is the spirit that gives life,
while the flesh is of no avail.
The words I have spoken to you are Spirit and life.
But there are some of you who do not believe.”
Jesus knew from the beginning the ones who would not believe
and the one who would betray him.
And he said,
“For this reason I have told you that no one can come to me
unless it is granted him by my Father.”

As a result of this,
many of his disciples returned to their former way of life
and no longer accompanied him.
Jesus then said to the Twelve, “Do you also want to leave?”
Simon Peter answered him, “Master, to whom shall we go?
You have the words of eternal life.
We have come to believe
and are convinced that you are the Holy One of God.”

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